The present invention relates to data transfer between sensor or actuator devices and higher-level applications.
Automated identification and data collection (AIDC) is the identification or direct collection of data into a computer system without using a keyboard. RFID (radio frequency identification) is an advanced AIDC technology. RFID uses electronic tags that have a small integrated circuit and an antenna. Depending on the type of tag, up to several KB of data can be stored on one tag. The transfer of data takes place at radio frequencies. This makes it possible to read many tags simultaneously, even if the tags are not within a line of sight from a reader. A device used to read data from or write data to electronic tags is generally known as an interrogator.
A “smart item” is an item or machine that can store and communicate data about itself to an external system. Any communication channel (e.g., radio frequencies, infrared) can be used. The communication process can lead to changes in the data stored in the smart item. More sophisticated smart items also have processing capabilities that enable them to interact with other smart items directly and, for example, negotiate a common behavior. Smart items can store and communicate different kinds of data including a unique item identifier (UID) and other item attributes for the item. Some have sensors that can record environmental data such as temperature, humidity, acceleration, or location. The communicated data can be real-time data or historical data, or both.
Examples of smart items include tagged items, RFID interrogators, actuator devices, and aware goods. An actuator device is a machine that moves or controls something (e.g., a conveyer belt, a vending machine). Aware goods are goods that can detect information about their environment (e.g., goods equipped with location or temperature sensors).